Social Democrats expel second member over corruption arrests

A Social Democrat politician has been kicked out of the party after being accused of corruption. The local branch of the party in Velke Mezirici expelled Josef Laznicka just over a week after he and six other people were arrested on charges of bribe giving and receiving. The head of the Velke Mezirici Social Democrats said the case could have harmed the party in general elections due to take place in June.

Mr Laznicka, who worked at the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure, is the second person to have lost his party membership over the affair: last week lobbyist Frantisek Vybiral was expelled by the Olomouc branch.